Wheelcover



Sept. 7, 1948. Q A LYON 2,448,537

WHEEL COVER Filed Aug. 27, 1945 4./*27 VE .Z7 faz- 650905 6285,97- yo/v Patented Sept. 7, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEI l `zstaszrlf` f WHEEL covert i George Albert Lyon, Anenhurst, N. J. Application August 27,1945, serial No: crassa j 'I'his invention relates to a Wheel cover structure and more particularly to an ornamental cover for concealing exposed side flanges of a tire rim and an exposed portion of the body part of the wheel. i An object of` this invention is to provide an improved annular wheel cover for ornamenting the outer side of an automobile'wheel.

Another object of this invention is to provide for the rigidifying of a wheel cover in such a manner that relatively thin material, such for example as sheet metal, may be used in the fabrication of th'e same.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a wheel cover for concealing exposed outer side iianges of a tire rim part `in such manner that the cover may be brought into close cooperation with the ilanges and enable the use of a relatively short valve stem, rendered accessible by projecting through an opening in a vcover portion. y

In accordance with' the general features oi this invention there is provided in a cover structure for a Wheel including multi-ilange tire rim and body parts, a cover 'including an outer annular portion for disposition over exposed outer side flanges of the rim part and having an outer edge bearing on an outer ange of the rim part, and an inner margin directly opposite the body part, the cover portion extending axially and radially inwardly from the outer edge to said inner edge and having a-plurality of concentric'corrugations for rigidifying the cover; the cover also including a radially inner portion extending generally radially and axially inwardly forcover'retaining cooperation with the-body partY of th'e wheel.- i

Another feature ofthe invention relates tothe utilization of the bottom of one `of the corruga-` tions of the aforesaid structure to provide an opening through which aV free end of a valve stem may project so as to render the valve stem accessible.

Other objects and features ofthis invention will more fully appear from the following detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate several em#` bodiments thereof, and in which y Figure 1 is a side Viewl of a wheel having a cover embodying the features of this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentarycross-sectional view taken on substantially-the line II--II of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by thearrows; and f .l 1

FigurezS is a fragmentary cross-sectionalxview comme. (01.36141) l Y 2 Y similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modification of the invention. 1

As shown on the drawing:

Thereference character 9 designates generally a pneumatic tire and tube of the conventional type employed in automobiles and includes the usual valve stem 8. This tire is mounted in th'e usual way upon `a drop center multi-flange tire rim I0, supported on a load-bearing or body part I I. The body part I I comprises a dished metallic stamping and includes an axially outer turned nose portion I2, terminating in an axially rearwardly extendingange I3, which, in turn, ends in a generally` radially extending bolt-on flange I4, This bolt-on flange I4, as is well known in the-art, is `-adapted to be secured to a part on an axle by means o! cap screws or bolts (not shown).

In addition, the flange I4 has attached thereto a plurality of generally axially extending hub cap retaining spring clips I5,l which are now of a conventional construction. Each of these clips is of the so-called inverted type and is adapted to detachably fholdia hub cap onthe nose portion I2 of the body part.4

I have designated the hub cap which is of a conventional construction, by the reference character I6. It comprises a metallic stamping and includes an underturned rear skirt II terminating in a turned edge I8 adapted to be cammed over the free extremities of the spring clips for retention of the cap on the wh'eel. This structure has been previously disclosed in numerous patents granted in the present wheel art.

My present invention is particularly concerned with the provision o! a novel annular wheel cover 20, which may be made of any suitable sheet material, such for example, as metallic sheet or synthetic plastic sheet. I preferably, however, make thev particular form shown in Fig. 2, of metallicsheet, and by reason of the manner in which the cover 20 is rigidiiled I am enabled to use exceedingly thin sheet material.

The cover 20 comprises an annulus and is of such depth as to conceal the exposed outer side flanges o! the rim part I II and the exposed portion of the body part II, radially outwardly of the hub cap I6. l

The cover 20 includes an annular portion 2l' having an outer turned edge 22 adapted to overhang an outer edge of the rim part I0, and to bear against the rim part. The portion 2| is provided with a plurality of concentric corrugations 2l, lwhich so rigidity the portion 2| that it may be made of rexceedingly thin sheet material. At least one of these 'corrugations is provided with fan aperture 24 at the bottom thereof for receiving the free end of the valve stem 8. In other words, the free end of the valve stem 8 projects through a hole in one of the corrugations, and by reason of the fact that I locate this hole in the bottom of the corrugation I am enabled to use a relatively short valve stem.

The cover portion 2| extends generally radially and axially rearwardlyfrom the turned edge 22 and terminates opposite the 'bodygpart II in a radially inner cover portion 25, which in reality, extends in an opposite direction from that of the portion 2l. The two portions, 2l and 25, may bet said to extend from a common junction pointinf' divergent directions. I have designated the turned recessed junction of the cov`eri-2ll` -byftliereference character 2B. The innerportion@ of the cover has adjacent the turned junction 26 an y annular generally axially extending shoulder` -2-'II provided with a plurality of spaced radially outwardly extending protuberanoes' 28 =for= retaining cooperation with an annular bead 29. l

This bead 29 may be made of any suitable sheet material, such-for exampleas'stainles's steel or strip, and 'is of a hollow constructioni `It includes an outer rearwardlyv 'turned' edge 30 'adapted "to be sprung over the protuber'ances28` /fo'rl retaining cooperation therewith v'and .an innerundertiirned edge 3l adapted 'tobear onashoulde'r on the cover portion 25. Y This' bead :fis 'easily applied -to the cover by lpressing it Aaxiallyinto retainngc operation with the protubera'nces 28andso that it is bottomed inthe recess of-y the tur-'ned junction portion"26i Thus-this bead servesf-not'fonly to conceal the junction, but vin addition, rigidifies the cover at the 'junction y ot Ltlie' two fpo'rtionsf 2 I- and25. l

The radially inner margin oftheinne'r cover portion terminates inv a turned edge-"30a adapted to telescope the' portion I3'iof the 'body part I I. This arrangement is'suchthat when the hub cap is snappedinto retainingjcooperatiori with the spring clipsy I5, itserves to clampthe inner portion 25 tightly against'tlienos'e portion I2 of the body part II. lIn this'm'anner, the spring -clips are enabled not only to'retain'the hub cap on the wheel, but alsoretain the wheel cover 20 onthe wheel. y Y' In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a slight 'rnmii'nca-l tion of the invention, wherein the samere'ference numerals are employed to `designate parts com#l mon to this form of the invention aridfthat 'illustraten in Figg 2. Tnegprincipai differentemetween this form'j of the inveri't'ioh'v andthat yof'lig, 2 relates to the constructi'cnil of thoteif`annllr portion ZIJ' of the cover. In 'this'p'orti'm th corrugations '23,V extend in'an opposite direction from that 'of the voo rrugations"23ln"1ig. '2.l I-I'vv`4 ever, las inthe case ofthe preferr'edfvform, an axially innermostv portion of! one'lofthecolr gations is providedwith an aperturef'Mthr'ugh which the free 'extremity-of the fvaive 'stemf'einay project. f v

In both forms of the'invention,"thecorruga4 tions are employedfto notonlyf oiamentfthe outer annular portion of the cover, butin addi-r tion to rigidify the same in rsuch amannrthat very thin-metal may be employed thereins *More-V over, the corrugationsl 'enable the`V location -of -a valve sternopening .2d-21k in closerproxiiriitydx;A the side iiangeo the tirexrimflllirom v'vvl'iicl'i-Izhe valve stem 8 projects It isveryiclesirable'to'hav the cover portionZIl-all' inv as close proximity to' thef -anges of -the rini" .part as *is feasiblei con# 4 sistent with the appearance desired, so that a relatively short valve stem may be employed.

In both forms of the invention, the cover may be Veasily removed from the wheel by prying the hub cap I6 oif of the spring clips through the means of a suitable pry-off tool such as a screw driver, as is well known in the art.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a cover structure for a wheel including a tire rim and "a body part, a coverincluding inner and iouter cover 'portions extending vin substantially divergent relation from an annular axially outward opening junction groove, the outer porf tionfbeing dimensioned to extend in concealing relation to the tire rim and having its junction portion opposite the body part, said inner portion extendingfinwardly in concealing relation to the body part and having a generally radially outwardly facing shoulder at the junction and an outwardly opening groove at the axially outer side -oftsaid shoulder, and a 'reinforcing Y 'annular bead having an underturned'outeredge bottomed in 'saidfjunction groove and an vunderturne'd inner edge `resting in' said groove inthe inner cover portion, said shoulder having radially outwardly `protruding retaining bumps' behind which said turned inner edge of thev reinforcing bead isA engaged in Snap-onrelatiOnShip.

2. 4'In afcover'structure Afora wheel including a tire rim I and la Nbody, part, '-a cover' vincluding Aan outer annular portion' -for 'disposition over the tire rim andhavingwa reinforcing-corrugation therein, an inner cover portion .convergently united with said outer 'cover-1 portion in amanner Ato provide a generally axially f outwardly opening juncturegrooveandlarranged for disposition' over-the body.- part, said-inner' cover portion yhaving `a `generally radially facing shoulder lat said junction,-retaining bumps extending radially outwardly from said'shoulder,anda reinforcing bead extending into said junction groove and-engaging in snap-onrelationship with said bumps;

3. Ina coverstructure forfa 'wheelincluding a-tire -rimv and body part, a icover including an outer `annular portion Jforf'disposition over' `the tire rimand-aninneri-cover -portion joining said outer portion convergently yand providing theretween- 'anl axially :outwardly vopening groove, an annular reinforcing beadbottomed in said groove, meansextending radially from one-of said cover portions adj acent--tothe lbottom of the groove for retaining ,engagement by the outer edgefotv the bead, `said vbead having'a-turned inner edge',vv and said-inner-cover -portion havingia groove therein receptive of saidturned-innerl-beadedge.V

4. In awheelstructurefincludingtire rim-and body parts,` said vbody part having a dished central portion including-*hub cap vretaining i clips, a cover member having divergentlyvrelated annular portions includingfa junction groove opening generally axially outwardly, the outer annular cover portionhaving a reinforcing corrugat'on andbein'g' disposed over the tire rim" and the inner'cover portion being'disposedover the body part andhaving' its 'inner' `edge'adjacent 'to said retainingvclips; a-"hub cap engaging-in snap-on relation with saidciips and-clamping said inner cover portion to the bodypart', and a reinforcing'fbead secured in said-'junction groove with'its outerl edge 1bottomed'i'.herein.y

5; In'a 'cover-structure Ifor a. wheel includinga tire rim-fand fa :body part', a coverfincludin'glan outer annular portion for dispositionfover'the tire frimf and anfinner coverA portion-for'fdisposition over the body part, said cover portions being convergently related, the outer cover portion being annularly corrugated for rigidity, said inner cover portion being formed adjacent to the junction of the cover portions with a plurality of angular reinforcing flanges, and a reinforcing bead secured to said flanges and having an edge bottomed in said junction.

6. In a cover structure for a wheel including a tire rim and a body part, a cover including an outer annular portion for disposition over the tire rim and an inner cover portion for disposition over the body part, said cover portions being convergently related and providing an axially outwardly opening groove therebetween, the outer cover portion being annularly `corrugated for rigidity, said inner cover portion being formed adjacent to the junction of the cover portions with a plurality of angular reinforcing flanges, and a reinforcing bead secured to said flanges and having an edge bottomed in said junction groove, the corrugations in said outer cover portion being of substantial depth, and "one of said corrugations having an aperture through the bottom thereof through which the free end of a valve stem is adapted to extend.

GEORGE ALBERT LYON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,124,789 Lyon July 26, 1938 2,212,037 Lyon Aug. 20, 1940 2,244,014 Lyon June 3, 1941 2,279,704 Davenport Apr. 14, 1942 2,298,669 Wood Oct. 13, 1942 

